Crime

Milwaukee man charged in robbery of postal carrier

A Milwaukee man — described as a "nuisance" and already charged in a robbery and beating — has been charged with two more robberies, including that of a U.S. Postal Service carrier in the same neighborhood, according to court documents.

According to a criminal complaint, Terry Lavell Hinton, 20, is charged with being party to the crime of robbery, use of force in the Feb. 24 attack on the mail carrier in the 4700 block of N. 34th St.

The carrier was beaten and robbed about a month after Hinton allegedly robbed an Auto Zone store at 5865 W. Silver Spring Drive and while he was facing charges for a street robbery in April 2013 in the 4700 block of N. Hopkins St., several blocks from the robbery of the postal worker.

In the 2013 case, according to the complaint, Hinton followed a man who had just cashed a check out of the Food Town Mini-Mart, where an employee described Hinton as a "nuisance."

Hinton and another man demanded money from the man who cashed the check. When the man refused, Hinton struck him on the head with a bottle of Miller High Life beer that he had been drinking inside the store. Hinton and the other man then went through the victim's pockets and fled empty-handed, according to the complaint. In that case, Hinton was charged with attempted armed robbery-use of force.

In the case involving the mail carrier, Hinton took his iPhone, debit card, ID card and a blue mail bag, according to the complaint. He also allegedly implied he had a weapon when he robbed the auto parts store of cash and two car batteries.

If convicted, Hinton faces more than 50 years in prison, according to the complaints. He was in the Milwaukee County Jail on Wednesday, with bail set at $20,000, according to jail records.